One-piece sheet metal shelf bracket



oct. 21, .1947. G. J@ ROMPRE 2,429,586

ONE-PIECE SHEET METAL SHELF BRACKET vFiled O .=r..4A 16, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet l Oct.l'21, 1947.A l G. .I. ROMPRE 2,429,586

ONE-PIECE SHEET METAL SHELF BRACKET K A Jaa/M f a.

Patented Oct. 21, 1947 ONE-PIECE SHEET METAL SHELF BRACKET Gerard J. Rompre, Waterbury, Conn., assignor to The Autoyre Company, Incorporated, Oakville, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application October 16, 1944, Serial No. 558,857

2 Claims.

This invention relates to shelf brackets and methods of manufacturing, more particularly to one-piece metal shelf brackets and methods for forming such a bracket from a single sheet of metal, and the invention has for an object the provision of improved shelf brackets and methods of this character.

Various types of shelf brackets of a substantially triangular construction, consisting of a Vertically disposed wall-engaging arm, a horizontally disposed shelf-supporting arm and a diagonally extending bracing arm, and adapted to support glass, wood or similar shelves in bathrooms, kitchens, lavatories and the like, have heretofore been proposed and have been manufactured and sold as relatively inexpensive articles. With the present prospects of increased production of low cost houses and low rental apartment projects, the provision of inexpensive, reliable and decorative bathroom and kitchen fixtures and accessories becomes increasingly important. Increasing costs of both material and labor, however, render exceedingly diicult the problem of supplying articles of this character at or below previously established prices, and it is a further object of this invention to provide a method of manufacture for producing an improved shelf bracket utilizing a minimum amount of material and requiring a minimum amount of labor.

In carrying out the invention in one form, a one-piece shelf-bracket of substantially triangular construction is formed from a single strip of material of a length not substantially greater than the sum of the lengths of two of the arms of the finished bracket by slitting a portion of the strip to form a longitudinally extending tongue, bending the strip along a transverse line adjacent the free end of the tongue to form two of the arms of the bracket, bending the tongue out of the plane of one of the two arms and securing the free end of the tongue to a portion of the other one of the two arms to form the third arm of the substantially triangular bracket structure.

For a more complete understanding of the invention, reference should now be had to the drawings in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a pair of brackets embodying the present invention supporting a 'shelf Fig. 2 is a plan View of the strip, from which the brackets of Fig. 1 are formed, after the strip has been slit but before bending;

Fig. 3 is a side view of one of the shelf-supporting brackets shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the brackets shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a front elevational view of the bracket shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a plan view similar to Fig. 2 of la blank from which a bracket constituting a further embodiment of the invention may be formed; and

Fig. 8 is a perspective View of a shelf-supporting bracket formed from the blank of Fig. 7.

Referring now to the drawings, the invention is shown as embodied in shelf-supporting brackets I0, two of which are illustrated in Fig.- 1 as supporting a glass shelf II. Since the two brackets I 0 are identical, only Vone bracket and its method of manufacture will be described. As shown, each of the brackets II] comprises a wall-engaging arm I2 from the lower end of which a pair of spacedapart strips I3 extends diagonally upward to form a bracing arm, a single narrower strip I4 extending rearwardly from the upper ends of the strips I3 to form, in conjunction with a strip or tongue I5 extending forwardly from the wallengaging arm I2, the shelf-supporting arm of the bracket. Extending forwardly from the juncture of the tongue or strip I4 of the shelf-supporting arm and the strips I3 of the bracing arm, is a shelf-engaging hook I6 which is adapted to engage the front edge of the shelf II so as suitably to position it on the bracket. A portion of the shelf-engaging hook I6 is preferably embossed, as indicated by the reference numeral I8, the embossrnent extending about the front and lower walls of the hook I6, and the strip I4, which extends rearwardly from the hook portion I6, is preferably coplanar with the embossment I8 so that the upper surface of the tongue I5 and the upper surfaces of the lower wall of the hook I6 on opposite sides of the embossment are at the same level whereby the shelf is supported on these surfaces at its front and rear edges.

Projecting downwardly from the wall-engaging arm I2 beyond the strips I3 which form the diagonal bracing arm is a projection I9 in which is disposed a. screw-receiving aperture 20, and a similar aperture 2l is provided adjacent the upper end of the wall-engaging arm I2 so that the bracket may be secured to a wall or similar support by screws or other suitable fasteners. Preferably, the Wall-engaging arm I2 is embossed throughout substantially its entire length, as shown, to provide a strengthening embossment which the various elements of the completed 5 bracket are formed. It will be observed that the strip or blank is of a length only slightly greater than the sum ofthe lengths of the lwall-.engaging arm I2 and the bracing arm formed by thestrips I3, the increased length being taken up by the 10 tongue I5 and the portions 23, 24 and 25 Whchy upon proper bending, formtthe'rshelf-engagingr hook I6.

As shown in Fig. 2, parallel slits-ZI-whichex-V the front end of which is a shelf-engaging hook 43, and a diagonally bracing arm which is formed by two tongues 44 and 45 which are respectively taken from the metal of the wall-engaging arm 4| and the shelf-supporting arm 42. Thus the arms 4I and 42 consist of spaced-apart strips throughout portions of their length. The manner inf which the vblanklzis;formedtofprovide the bracket 40"is^shown in Fi'ggl, and it will be observed that in this case the length of the blank exceeds the sum of the lengths of the wall-engaging-armwM-and-fthe shelf-supporting arm 42 only by the material employed to form the shelfengaging hook 43.1' Y After the blank shown in Fig.

tend throughout the lengtlrofthe portion-M615 7 hasbeen'slit'toprovide the tongues 44 and 45,

the blank from which the strips are formed are connected at one end by a transversesliti'2lxtof form the tongue I4. A second transverse slit 28 defines the lower edge `of the projection IlinLx which the screw hole oraperture 20 is formed, 20

and thus the only waste material in.` the1enti1-e blank is the small square olmateriabdenedby the Islits 26;: ZT'and- 28;11the =smalllrectilinear portions that are cut out at one end of the blank:v

to form-theitongue'v I 5;@'andI-the small .triangular 25 portions which are cut from the othertend ofthe y blanklto dene theitapered endsection 25 ofathe hook ISJ- v After the lblank has beenfslit'fandcut as above'- described,"it isbent' along-rthe'transverse line-39 301 strips Y I3 1to-y the substantially horizontal position` 35 shown in- Fig.' 3. Likewisefportion-Z, which'A forms `thelower Wall* ofthershelfengag-ing hook -1 I6,is bent alongthe linelfto a-hOriZOntalpo-A4 sition and the hook is brought to its-desired shape:

by additionally bending'the material along the I40- lines 32 and-33.A The tongue-I5 onethe other end 1 of the.y stripl is bent-:forwardly froml the Yplane of Ithe WalLengaging Yarm.-I2'along Jthe line-34h so that it overlapsethefreeend of' thetongue,l4,1 .v

and the tongues I4- andlare then-'secured to-rd 45 gether preferably rby spot Iwelding,v` as indicated-` by the reference `numeral 35 (Fg.l3)2.

It will of course beunderstood that-fthevario'us manipulative steps need'noti be .performed in -thety order above statedesince, if-ldesi'redthe tongues 50 170 C1821' the bracing arm- I 4 and I5 may be bentout ofiitheplanea-ofllthe l blank before the Vblankis bent-:about theiline 33.1- to bringthe wall-'engaging arm I2 'and thespaced strips 1 I3 .into .the xdesired1angularzrelatons Like- I it'maybebent'along the transverse line 46 to bring-theawallfengaging arm 4I and the shelfsupportingarm 42 in substantially right angular relationy'and the tongues 44 and 45 are then bent out of the respective arms 4I and 42 to the diagonal. position showny inl Fig-:8,1 so thatttheiends Of-A lthe 4tongues ov.erla.p,zand\K the .overlapping ends I may then 'beIseeured-ftogether :by: spot'vveldingorf.` othensuitable securingimeansg r.

It' Willlfbe .observedpinjiga'rthatthef centrale portornof. the shelfasupportingitarm 142:.is :adef pressed and consequently the shelf @willzgbeuit-i ably? supported atrihefront and zrear; edgesfby theglovver,l Wa1l;of;the.shelffengagng hook 43 and a Ysuitable platfonm-A'I'xat :the rear of.: they shelfe' supportingiaarnr; 42;; Depression of zthe :central; portion :of the shelfesupporting; armz42fis .effected .1 bygbending: 4the istriplialongethe transverse lines; 48;:.49, .5U and; 5I@ andcproper shapingnof-,thee hookportionz43-is accomplishedby properly bende ingetheblankfv/along;theftransverse lines ,52Iand I 53;i Incorder totprovideriforfisecurementnoffthe i bracket to va wall,;the,:walleengaging arm-.i4 I .fis f providedizadjacent.its'flowereendifwith asc1'ew receiving aperturef54-and the endsof the slits ,55,1'. whichfdene @the .-tongue.` I4,f.' are'tconnectedfto:` gether {bygacurvedslit 56,f(Fig.,-7) to forma por tion.4 of;.a;keyhole.|slot-.51 (Fig.; 8) forreeeiving..y a screw orfother suitable fastenersA Since in-,this formxof; thednvention kthe diagonal,v bracing.;,arm formedfbygthe:tongues 44-1and 45-- is directly; oppositethe: center: flinenof the 1wall engaging arm-4I', a screwldriverforxother.suitable tool fwouldfhavetto be inserted :diagonallyyso as. I Consequently, in.; mounting this :braoketf-zit.- 1 isa-advisable to locate the screw in Avthe rwall @.beforef .the 'bracket is put in.;` place iandfthen: placeutherbracket over the screw;Y the :slot,formedfbylbending theftonguedld .out-.oftl

wise, the;embossingoperationnfor providing `the 55 theawallrlerlgaging alm'flrbeing;largenoughto.;

embossments. I3 and 22fmay befperform'edatany desired .andi convenient stagerof .the :forming op: eration:

Itv will be observedthat the one-pieceabrackets receive the-headof thescrevv',` and-after the braczketrl is:moved:downwardlyisothat thefscrew is intheu small part-of: the .keyhole slot.5't,"a few moreturns, on=,thescre w williserveztosecuretheabracketsin.;

ter-ialg with a ,minimumgamountof rwaste, and.: that. the formingperation consistszsubstantially i' entirely of simple bending steps, only onegweldel ing. orsimilarI securing operation being.-;neces- WhilefI have-showneparticular.- .embodiments of; -myginvent-ion; it Nvill be-lunderstood,iofcourse, that.; I do;V not wish-:torba limited; thereto: sincevmanyo modications-maybe fmadesandl, therefore, fcon;

factured .at very lout -cost:`A Byformingxthelbrace ing ,arm of; the l diagonalnstrips-| Sgffreesaccesss Dlovdeddbyemeans Aofuwhichaa screw-'drivers or: similartool may be;insertecL-.,through :the space i between-tthe'stripseIS zto engageaa screw: orother;j 70.

fastener, in-thei hole f2 I.;whern securing .theibracket to a wall-'.1Y Y

In the embodiment of '.the .inventions shownzin. Figs; .'7 :and 8, Athe;bracket; 40.f-consi-stsiiof: a .Walle fr such modifications. las, falltwithimthe .truerspirit .f and scope of my invention.

Havingv thus, fdescribedf my; inventiomzwhat I claim-and,desireftoisecure byqLetters Patent isz;

l. A one-piece shelf bracket formed of sheet; metal:v comprisingnaswalleengagingLarm; a shelfsupportingf., armnnandqa bracing 1, arm' extending.. diagonally between saidJValL-engagingfand shelf-V supporting :arms,said bracing.farnmbeing` ofrfless engaging arm 4I, a shelf-supporting arm 42 on 1 75 Width than the other iarms andibeingfformed by.

tongues slit and bent out of central portions of said other arms, the slots formed in said other arms by said tongues terminating short of the juncture of said other arms to provide an uninterrupted juncture portion, the respective free 5 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 557,111 Cotter Mar. 31, 1896 624,723 Allis May 9, 1899 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 18,715 Great Britain Aug. 31, 1903 20,213 Great Britain 1898 

